Automobile antenna



May 30, 1950 J. GRAsHoW AUTOMOBILE ANTENNA Filed March 3, 194s INVENTOR 71. ATTORNEY Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED s"'rlvrlif'sl lPATENT oFFl Y 'escasas Autonoom ANTENNA JosephGrashcwfnmoklym N. Y. ApplleationMarch 31'948, Serial No. Y12,549

This Vinvention relates to antennas, and more particularly Vtcian antenna which may be mounted easily on :the body of anr automobile.

A feature of `the. invention is the provision-of -a simple .and inexpensive antenna structure for f automobile radio equipment having asingle hole Ymounting which. may be `fastened in position from lthe outside of the car.

Another feature of the invention is the ,provision'oian automobile antenna suitable for quick installation on a mass production basis. The invention contemplates an assembly includingA an antenna, a supporting member therefor which 'preferably comprises a sleeve and a .flexible co- -axial conductor attached to the latter to `provide gripping the under surface of the car body when an external lock nut thereon is tightened, thus securing the antenna in place. This arrange-f mentel'im'inates the expensive, time consuming practice of attaching mounting brackets and other securing devices for antennas on the/iriterior of the car body wherethe worker is aLl-1 most always handicapped by having 'to work cramped quarters.

Other objects and features of the invention will be found in the following description given with vthe aid 'of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of yan antenna ao- 'cording to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an lexploded view of a portion of the antenna of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken through 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another type oflantenna incorporating the present inventioni Referring now to Fig. 1, the :referenceehara'cter I indicates a'portion'of a car body having a 'hole II formed therein in which v'the antenna .is

to be mounted. The 'antenna structure includes la supporting sleeve I2 having threaded portions I3 and I4 adjacent the ends thereof. The basefor butt portion I5 of an antenna which may be oi any convenient typ, such as the well-known tele- 'scoping whip variety is secured in the sleeve I2 -'in vcoaxial relation therewith by insulating bushings lIl =and I'I. A pair Vof swingable arms I8 and Il.

13 Claims. (Cl. Z50-33) 2. venient manner. In the drawings the arms are Ashown Vas being attached directly to sleeve I2 by 'pivots 20.

In the simpler antenna supporting arrangement, shownin Figari and 2, the sleeve I2 is thrust through opening I-I vin the carbody and `the arms are turned cross-ways by bringing them vinto `engagement .with the under surface of the lcai' body. Where the arms tend to be frictionally :held `against displacement on their pivots, they Vmay be displaced initially by' a, small screw driver or the like inserted through vthe mounting hole. The .sleeve is then rturned until thepivots are parallel with a horizontal diameter of the hole IfI when the sleeve willbesubstantially vertical and the corners of the ends of-each arm will be in en-V gagement with the -car body.- An arrangement lforexerting an upwardstress on sleeve I2 is all that is required toffasten the antenna structure to the car. Such `an. arrangement comprises a gasket member .2.2 adapted to rest against the outersurface -of thecar body, having a hole 23 therein through which thevsleeve I2 is thrust. An 'ornamental spacer member 25 of any convenient shape and which may be of :chrome plated metal,

ebonite or the like, and .provided with a central opening to receive sleeve rI2 has its lower edge resting on gasket 22,-the upper portion 26 of the spacer member being thickened and tting rather closely labout sleeve I2 adjacent to the upper threaded portion thereof while the lower edge portion-isshaped to conform to the surface of the car body Awhen the sleeve I2 is in substantially vertical position.

' The whole assembly is held in place Aby anut 21 threaded onto the threaded upper portion I3 of sleeve I2. When the nut I2 is tightened it .presses against the part 25 of spacer member 25 vpressing the lower edge thereof firmly against zgasket 22 thereby sealing the opening II in the 4car vbody lagainst the entrance of moisture and at the same time arms IB and I9 are pressed tightly against the `under vsurface of the car body with sufficient vpressure to cause the ends of the arms to .penetrate any paint or `other protective coating thereon-and thereby maintain -a connection between sleeve I2 and the ca r body which serves as 'va-ground connection for the radio equipment,

.not shown.

Fig. 3, 'are supported -by the sleeve in vany cori-ill moisture.

-ing of the cap 42. 'of ebonite, Bakelite or other suitable insulating; material. The cap is held in place by an orna- '1sleeve.-. Y.

3. An antenna structure permanently asseni- Sil detachable antenna unit of the ball and socketI type which requires a more elaborate externalbled as e unit and adapted to be secured in an opening in the body of a car which comprises an antenna supporting sleeve adapted to be partially inserted into the opening from the upper surface of the car, means pivoted to the sleeve adapted to pass through the opening and engage the under surface of the car body immediately adjacent the openingl a nut threaded on a, portion of the sleeve outside of the car .body adapted lon the tightening thereof tov exert pressure on theV outer surface of the car body and cause the pivoted means to grip the under surface of the mounting. In the latter embodiment, a rod 352;'.-

is coaxially mounted in a sleeve I2 of similar Yconstruction as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Sleeve I2 extends through a tube 36 formed with a flange` 31 shaped to correspond with the contour of the car body. Tube 36 is enclosed by a spacer member 38 extending somewhat beyond the upper 'edge of the tube and having a lower edge portion 39 which yieldingly engages the car body. A thin flat nut 40 threaded on sleeve I2, when tightened, presses the flange 3l and the lower part 39 of the soft spacer against the car lbody sealing the opening II against the entrance of moisture. The assembly just described is covered by an ornamental cap 42 having a central opening which ts over sleeve I2 and a recess 43 formed in the base thereof which encloses `the nut 46 and the rest of the sleeve structure except for the threaded portion 4I of rod 35 which projects upward into the central open- Cap 42` is made preferably mental nut 44 of a known type having a, hemispherical depression formed in the upper surface thereof.` The nut is screwed onto the threaded 'end portion of rod 35 and when tightened holds the cap 42 in position. The nut 44 serves as a socket for a known type of detachable antenna 45 having a ball 46 formed at the base thereof. The ball 46 which ts into the hemispherical depression in the upper surface of nut 44 is ad- -justably locked in position by a nut 41 which is screwed onto a threaded portion `of nut 44;!

What is claimed is: I y

1. An antenna structure adapted tobe secured in an opening in the body of a, car which comprises an antenna, ametalli-c antenna supporting sleeve adapted to be partially inserted in the opening from the upper surface of the car, insulating means for securing an end portion of the antenna in the sleeve in co-axial relation there- #55 with, toggle means carried by the sleeve adapted to pass through the opening when thesleeve is partially inserted therein for engaging the under surface of the car body immediatelyl adjacent lthe opening and providing a ground connection between the sleeve and car body, and means for exerting a withdrawing force on the sleeve-to 'cause the toggle means to grip the under surface and the butt end of the antenna fixed in the bushings, a coaxial cable connector xed to the Vlatter end of the antenna and a coaxial cable having its center conductor coupled Vwith the connector and its outer conductor secured y"to the eos " car body and thereby secure the sleeve to the car body and means within the :bore of the sleeve for securing the butt end of the antenna thereto.

4. An antenna adapted to be secured in an opening in the body of a car which comprises an antenna supporting sleeve adapted to be partially Vinserted into the opening from the upper surface of the car, a, pair of arms independently pivoted to the sleeve adapted to pass'through the opening on the insertion of the sleeve and with the partial Withdrawal thereof to engage the under surface of the car body adjacent the opening, a nut threaded on an outer portion of the sleeve adapted on the tightening thereof to exert pressure on the outer surface of the car body and thereby cause the arms to grip the under surface Aof the car body and thereby secure the sleeve in the opening and means for securing the butt end 'of the antenna within the bore of the sleeve.

- -5. An antenna according to claim 4 in which Vthe sleeve is made of a suitable metal and the antenne. is coaxially mounted therein butinsulated therefrom, and wherein the arms provide a ground connection between the sleeve and car body.

6. An antenna according to claim 4 wherein the sleeve has insulated bushings fitted therein Vand the butt end oi the antenna is xed in the bushings, a coaxial cable connector fixed to the vlatter Aend of the antenna and a coaxial cable lhaving its center conductor coupled thereto and its outer conductor secured to the sleeve.

7. An antenna adapted to be secured in an opening in the body of a car which comprises an antenna supporting sleeve adapted to receive the lbutt end of a whip-like antenna to be partially 'inserted into the opening from the upper surface of the car, swingable means carried by the sleeve adapted to pass through the opening on the insertion of the sleeve and with the partial Withdrawal thereof to engage the under surface of Athe car body adjacent the opening, a nut threaded on the outer portion of the sleeve adapted on the ytightening thereof to exert pressure on the I`-outer surface of the car body and thereby cause the swingable means to grip the under surface Aof the car body and'thereby secure the sleeve in the opening, and spacer means disposed on the .sleeve lbetween the nut and the car body for maintaining the sleeve in predetermined angular position with respect to the car body.

y8.` An antenna according to claim 7 in which the sleeve is made of a suitable metal and the antenna is coaxially mounted therein but insulated therefrom, and wherein the swingable .means provides a ground connection between the i sleeve and car body.

9. `An antenna. according to claim 7 in which the sleeve has insulated bushings tted therein :and the butt end ofthe antenna is fixed in the bushings, a coaxial cable connector fixed to the -latter. endof the antenna and` a coaxial cable extending into the lower end of the sleeve and having its central conductor coupled with the connector and its outer conductor secured to the sleeve.

10. An antenna according to claim 7 in which the swingable means comprises a pair of individually adjustable independent arms and individual pivots therefor secured to the sleeve.

11. An antenna of the whip type adapted to be secured in an opening therefor in the body of an automobile which comprises a rigid supporting sleeve secured to the butt end of the antenna adapted to be inserted from the upper surface of the automobile part way into the opening, means comprising a plurality of pivoted arms carried by the sleeve arranged initially to rest against the sides of the sleeve in co-alignment therewith to permit passage of the arms and a portion of the sleeve through said opening whereupon the arms may be manipulated from above the upper surface of the automobile body to turn on their pivots and assume positions crosswise of the opening and engage the under surface of the automobile body, and means comprising a nut threaded onto the upper portion of the sleeve for exerting a withdrawing force on the sleeve from the upper surface of the automobile body to cause the arms to grip the under surface thereof and thereby secure the sleeve to the automobile body.

12. An antenna according to claim 11 in which the sleeve is made of a conducting material and REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 450,127 Wrigley Apr. 7, 1891 1,325,036 Ninow Dec. 16, 1919 1,939,983 Karitzky Dec. 19, 1933 2,013,503 Pleister Sept. 3, 1935 2,167,286 Theobald July 25, 1939 2,203,945 Roo June 11, 1940 2,224,023 Sayen Dec. 3, 1940 2,252,671 Ludwig Aug. 12, 1941 2,444,189 Finneburgh et al. June 29, 1948 2,468,391 Cejka Apr. 26, 1949 2,473,141 Friedberg June 14, 1949 

